Those Were the Days Cream

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CD

  • Release Date: 09/23/1997
  • 4 Disc Set
  • Sales Rank: 23,518
  • Label: POLYDOR / UMGD
  • UPC: 731453900028
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Listener Rating: (2 ratings)

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  • Overview
  • Tracks
  • Editorial Reviews
  • Customer Reviews
  • Details & Credits
Track List
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Those Were the Days

Disc 1
1LISTENWrapping Paper 2:22
2LISTENI Feel Free 2:51
3LISTENN.S.U. 2:43
4LISTENSleepy Time Time 4:20
5LISTENDreaming 1:58
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Disc 2
1LISTENWhite Room 4:58
2LISTENSitting on Top of the World 4:58
3LISTENPassing the Time Alternate Version / Take 5:53
4LISTENAs You Said 4:20
5LISTENPressed Rat and Warthog 3:13
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Disc 3
1LISTENN.S.U. previously unreleased 12:38
2LISTENSleepy Time Time Live 6:48
3LISTENRollin' and Tumblin' Live 6:29
4LISTENCrossroads Live 4:24
5LISTENSpoonful Live 16:39
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Disc 4
1LISTENWhite Room Live 6:21
2LISTENPolitician Live 5:08
3LISTENI'm So Glad Live 9:32
4LISTENSitting on Top of the World Live 4:55
5LISTENStepping Out Live 13:29
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About this Artist

Editorial Reviews

Those Were the Days is an ambitious four-disc, 63-track box set that divides Cream's career into two halves. The first two discs feature every studio track the group ever released, plus a handful of unreleased cuts, alternate takes, and rarities. The other two discs are devoted to live material, which is segued together in an attempt to recreate the "ideal" {|Cream|} concert. It's a remarkably comprehensive collection, complete with an extensive booklet and remastered sound, yet it doesn't reveal any new insights about Cream, nor does it offer any invaluable rarities. Therefore, it's only for die-hard collectors or listeners wanting to acquire the entire Cream catalog at once; casual fans will be satisfied with individual albums or greatest-hits collections. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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  • Ratings: 2Reviews: 2

Those Were the Daysby Anonymous

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February 20, 2005: Characteristically, the Cream boxed set is a worthy purchase only for definite fans and/or those who collect such musical articles. The quality of the set as a whole relies entirely on one's opinion of the style and validity of the band. As such, for myself, I rank the set highly, though cannot afford it a five-star ranking for its lack of "archived" studio and live bonus material that surely must have existed at the time of its production (give us more than we can acquire by album purchases!) An unusual plus: the studio portion of the set is ordered chronologically by album and release date. This helps to preserve a musical continuity that the band must have intended and allows the listener to follow the experimental development of the trio. The reading within the book insert is interesting, the pictures more so.

Those Were the Daysby Anonymous

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July 26, 2003: If you are reading this review then we can probably assume a couple of facts: 1) you are a Cream fan or a Clapton fan 2) you are considering whether or not you want to buy this boxed set 3) you probably own at least one other Cream CD. That being the case I can tell you why you would want to buy this boxed set, and why you wouldn’t. If you are a Cream fan but only own a CD or two, or maybe just have the vinyl or something, then I would wholeheartedly suggest this boxed set to you. It contains all of the original Cream albums, plus both Live Cream albums and even throws in some outtakes, some demos, and a couple minutes of extra jams to the Live Cream material. In fact the only thing missing is the material from the BBC sessions which was released years after this set. In all this set paints the most complete picture available of this seminal band. You get to see every side of the band, from their original “Hit Machine” intentions (yes Cream wanted to be a big POP band at the beginning) to the later jam-heavy, “Musician” focus. Most interestingly you get to see the musical development of the three musicians in the band, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. We see the maturation of JB’s songwriting, singing and bass playing skills. We get to listen to Clapton become a singer, we also get to hear his growth from blues traditionalist to 60’s shred and then his return to roots on the Goodbye Cream studio tracks. We get to hear Ginger Baker keep the beat in inventive and creative was, all the while helping create the genre of metal drumming (most of the early metal drummers like John Bonham and Bill Ward, were big Baker fans.) Lastly we get to hear the supplemental musicianship and production of Felix Pappalardi, one of the unsung heroes of 60s and 70s rock. Pappalardi produced, helped arrange, and played various instruments on all but the first Cream album. Topping it all off is a very comprehensive booklet that contains a very good history of the band as well as some of the most intense live shots I've ever seen of the band. In fact, if you are a Cream fan, this is a mandatory purchase; unless you already own 3 or more Cream CD, in that case I would suggest you purchase the individual CDs to round out your collection.